Fonseca took up wrestling in eighth grade. Her stepfather and her three younger brothers all wrestled and she wanted to take up the challenge.

“My stepdad during my first year had a mat in the garage and he would go out before the season started and teach me moves,” Fonseca said.

Last year, Fonseca was crowned the masters champion in the Sac Joaquin Section and advanced to the state tournament in Visalia where she placed eighth.

This season, Fonseca medaled in the 138-pound division in the Doc Petersen tournament and is now 18-6 on the year.

“It’s been pretty fun,” she said. “I’ve been in a much stronger weight class than I’m used to so it’s been pretty difficult but I’m still having a lot of fun with it.”

Fonseca has been cheerleading for the last 10 seasons but the skills she’s picked up have transitioned over to the mat.

“Cheerleading has helped,” Fonseca said. “It’s made me more flexible.”

During a match, Fonseca’s mobility and endurance have been one of her many strengths, Gallaty said.

“She’s got incredible balance and athleticism. She’s really hard to take off her feet,” Gallaty said. “She’s a hard worker. She’s not afraid to push herself in practice. She continues to get better. She’s a pure joy to coach and watch her grow on and off the mat.”

When she’s not competing, Fonseca has become a leader among her teammates when it comes to practice.

“She reminds the others about departure times, practice times, what to bring…leads warmups and gives the team pep talks,” Gallaty said. “She’s maturing as a leader and she’s doing an exceptional job at it.”

On every team road trip, Fonseca will pack a ‘giraffe-like’ stuffed animal which has turned into a joke within the team, Gallaty said. She was also voted as a team captain for both the boys and girls wrestling teams.

“She is always entertaining and keeping things fun with the team,” Gallaty said.

When Fonseca isn’t wrestling or cheerleading, she can also be found umpiring for softball and coaching cheerleaders from kindergarten through second grade.

Fonseca said she’s enjoyed teaching others and after high school, she aspires to be a kindergarten teacher. Many grapplers on the Orland girls wrestling team are still beginners and learning the sport and Fonseca has taken it upon herself to help teach and guide her teammates.

“I really like it because now I’m teaching them and helping them learn,” Fonseca said. “When they start to win matches and do really well, it’s really fun to watch.”